Improvement in machine foe cleaning cotton



@with tatrs atent @ifi-r2,

JOHN Kansai-iw, or Patines-cnfNEW'JERSEY.

Letters .Patent No. 80,826, dated August 11, ISGS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAGHINE POR GLEANIN G GOTTON.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY 4CONGERN:L

Be it known that I, JOHN KERSHAW, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Machines known as Cott0n-0peners or Cleaners; and I hereby declare the following to be a full and accurate description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this spccication,'and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure I is a vertical transverse sectic'naLview of the machine, taken through the line a, Figs. II and V.

Figure II is ahorizontal sectional view, taken through the line b, Fig. I, and with the beater-shaft removed, to be further hereinafter described. l

Figure III is a vertical longitudinal section of the case and screen, taken' on thclinc C, Figs. IV and V, and showing the beaters in position.

Figure IV is lan exterior end v'iew of the machine.

Figure V is a top or horizontal view of the exterior of the machines Figures VI, VII, are views of a disk-plate and beater-blades, to be further hereinafter described:

Iconstruct a strong framework, A,'within which Iplacre, with proper fastcnings, a semi-conical grating, B, the centre of wli'h`is`coincidentowith the laxis of the rotating shaft C. I enclose this framework withthe lining' D andthe semiccnical cover E, leaving only the space Flfor the admissionof atmospheric air.

The beater-shaft C ismounted.` upon suitable bearings on the framework A, and forms the axis or centre of the conc formed by the grating and the cover before mentioned. A l

Upon the beater-shaft C, at proper distances, are xed iivedisk-plates, H, of diameters proper for their various positionsin the hollow cone formed by B and E; Upon these plates are securely fastened a series of blades, I, made of thin'sheet'steel, and curved in the manner shown by the enlarged views, Figs. VI and VII.

The advantages 'of placing'such beater-blades upon at disks, instead of horizontal bars, as in Winds patent, November'li, 1847, are, amore convenient and substantial means of fastening the blades; ameans of disposing of the blades in' an intermediate or spiral manner, so that the resistance to the power applied. may be nearly uniform; an avoidance of the tangling of the cotton around the parts, as takes place upon horizontal hars, and also of a crosscurrent, liable to be created hy horizontal arms -when in motion, to thc detriment of the endwise current created by the spiral blades or suction-fau.

The grating, B,`consists of a series of iron bars, of an angular section, presenting a serrated or saw-tooth profile, with thin spaces intervening between each pair. Thesc'bars B are properly'fasten'ed upon the inverted bridge-pieces J, upon which they rest. l I

Near the smaller end ofthe cover E, I place-a funnel or hopper, K, openinginto the interior of the machine, for tlepurpose of fcedingin tliecotton. y Y

I place the outlet-pipe or discharge L near to theA base or larger end of the grating B.

In connection with the outlet L, I construct Ia framework, M, for the purpose of carrylng and enclosing 'the proper rollers of Athc travelling-apron of discharge N, and also the screen or rotating cage Q, all of which have their bearings in the framework -IVL Outside and on top of M, I place a rotation suction-pan, P, which communicates, by means of the dust-pipe Q, with the screen 0,]beneath, and-by appropriate pines or conduits, witlrthe atmosphere above, at any' convenient distance. Y v l The pulleys .,R, S, T, U, V, W, and X are for the respective uses shown, and further hereinafter described, in the operation of themachinc.

The operation of my machine is as follows:

Rotary motion is imparted to Athe beatcr-sl1aft C by the pulley Il. and usual driving-belt, from any prime mover. Close by the pulley R is the pulley S, also fast en the shaft C, which gives motion, -by means of a band, to the pulleyT on the shaft of the fan P. Upon the opposite end of the fan-shaft is the pulley U., which,

by a band, gives motion to the pulley V, which is fast on the shaft of the rotating screen O. The pulley W,

also fast on the shaftof the screen, gives Ymotion, by a band or gearing, to the roller carrying the discharge-- apron, through the pulley X, or by a gear equivalent thereto. l

The arrows of direction show the course of motion in the several'parts when in operation.

Cotton being fed in through the hopper K, the machine being in rapid motion, in the manner before described, the beater-blades will seize the flocks of libre and scutch them againstthe acute-angular edges of the gratebars B, thus loosening and triturating the matted cotton into a loose, feathcry condition. The centrifugal action of the cotton from the beater-blades towards the grating, and also, at the same time, towards the outlet or base oi' the conical enclosure, tends to change its `position from one seriesof beaters to the other, commencing at the smallest and ending at the largest disk` of bcatcr-b1ades. The helix-form of the outer edges of the beaterhlades, when in motion, induces arapid current or..d1aught of latmospheric air in the direction of the passage v'of the cotton from its inlet at`K to'its outlet at L. v The air isadmitted at the smaller end, near the base of the machine, through the opening. F, and ascending through the grating, is carried forward, and, together therewith,the light, ieeey cotton, which Ahas undergone the separating and scutching action of the beater-blades.`

InY addition to the current of air induced' by the motion of the helix-formed beater-blades, and the tendency of the coniform surfaces to direct the flying fibres towards their base, and towards the outlet L, I employ the suction-fan P, operating through the screen O, which gives a forward and upward'direction to the loose cotton,as well'as carries off, through the screen O, any light dust/or other foreign matter which may not, through its gravity, have fallen through the grating B in its passage from the inlet K'to the outlet L.- i

The travelling-apron N receives the opened cotton from the outlet-pipe L, and carries it forward under the.`

rotating wire or perforated screen O, under the pressure-roller N, and thence discharges it on theldoor, or intol proper bins, at any convenient distance. v

yHaving thus described the construction and operation of my improvements in cotton-openers `and cleaners, I do not limit myself to the particular curvature of beater-blades shown, as more or less vcurvature in the beaterbiadcs would'produce, when in motion, an endwise current in a cotton-opener. Neither do I limit myself to,

v blades having any curvature, so long as straight blades .may be used in combination with the angular bars of and set forth. i

the grating B, and the P, and opening F, for producing an endwise current in cotton-openers.

I do not wish it to be understood that I claim broadly, as my invention, a machine for opening and cleaning cotton, of a conical form; neither do I claim the combination with such of a dischargc-apron, screen, and fan,

forvall such have been in useand combined together,as in Lillies cotton-willow, described in Ures Manufactures of G rreatvBritain. To those individual parts, features, or their combination, as they are represented, I therefore malle no claim. n

What I claim, in a cotton-opener and cleaner, is-.

1. The shaft C, with its` disk-plates H and beater-blades I, in combination with theconically-disposed grating B, covering E, openings K and F, and the outlet or discharge-pipe4 L, all constructed as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

2. The fan'P, screen 0, and apron N, when combined together, and with the con'icallydisposed grating B, of angular section, the cover E, the feed-opening K, air-opening F, outlet-pipe L, shaft C, disks H, and beaterblades I, or their equivalents, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein shown Jenn KERSHAW.

Witnesses K. I-IoLMs, M. HoLMs. 

